Winter
by TDP2009
Summary: Just thoughts as Sofia builds a snowman. One shot.


The first snow of winter was falling outside the castle. Sofia excitedly changed into her grey hooded sweater dress that rested at her ankles, she put on her grey and blue

striped wool knee socks and her grey snow boots. Violet, her maid, helped her get into her dress and brushed her mid back length auburn hair into a bun, placed a shimmery

snowflake tiara on her head and laughed as she sped from the room as soon as they were done. Sofia ran down the long marble hallway and down the grand staircase into

the foyer stopping only to get her grey and blue striped mittens

'Where are you going in such a hurry?' her stepsister Amber called from the top of the stairs, her blue dress sparkling and her waist length blonde hair was set in giant curls

pulled up at the crown of her head and a glittering tiara sat perfectly atop it

'It's snowing!' Sofia exclaimed excitedly

'I don't see how you can get all riled up about snow. It's cold and wet, no thank you' Amber retorted scrunching up her nose

Amber was only two years older than Sofia who was fourteen but she always acted above her somehow. Sofia knew Amber meant well...most of the time but deep down Sofia

would always be her stepsister. Not royal blood. It used to hurt Sofia's feelings when Amber would have her little jealousy outbursts and say stuff like she didn't belong there

or her mother wasn't worthy of being the queen. But she learned that was just how she was, an entitled brat. And she was proud of it.

'Well if you change your mind I will be in the garden, Amber' Sofia told her sweetly and quickly opened the door to the cold outside

The wind was trying it's hardest to get at her ears but thankfully the hood on her dress was fighting for her. The stairs to the gardens were almost invisible under the fresh

blanket of white and she was careful not to slip on her way down. She took a deep breath when she made it to the bottom unscathed. Sofia could be pretty clumsy

sometimes, it had gotten better in the six years she had been a princess and had been taking gymnastics and using the balance beam. When she had lived in the village she

constantly had bandages and casts on her legs and arms. Her mother always told her to be more lady like but Sofia loved climbing trees, swimming, running, and now she

was on the flying derby team at Royal Prep.

Sofia's stepbrother James, Amber's twin brother, was the most supportive of her decision to join the derby after the initial shock of a girl wanting to do 'Prince Stuff' and they

practiced together all the time. She could count on James for everything, he never judged her like Amber did and he went out of his way to make sure everyone treated her

as their equal. Even his sister when need be. Amber and James were polar opposites. He had his spoiled moments too, of course, but mostly they revolved around food. But

his good qualities out shone the bad. James was brave, strong, kind, everything a future king should be but he was also spontaneous, fun, sweet, understanding, and patient.

Sofia had known for a long time that James was her favorite person. Sure she had other friends, Ruby and Jade from the village and Princess Vivian were her best friends but

if given the chance she would much rather spend time with him. They could and had spent hours in her secret garden just reading and climbing the tall tree that grew there.

He knew her secrets and she knew his. They were as close as two people could be and Sofia had toyed with the idea of being in love with him. She was sure they could never

be together but it was a beautiful fantasy.

The snow began falling harder and there was almost enough accumulated to begin building a snowman so she started packing a ball in her small hands. Sofia fell to her knees

and gathered all the snow within her reach to add for the base. It was going to take a while to get enough snow for the entire thing but she was willing to wait. She loved the

cold and the snow; she had since she was little. Catching snowflakes on her tongue was the only real memory she had of her father.

Gregory had been the shoe maker of their village and also the personal shoe maker to the royal family. He got sick when Sofia was six so her mother Miranda took over the

shop for him and that was how she met the king. Unfortunately he had passed two weeks into his sickness and they were all alone. The king had taken an obvious interest in

Miranda, his own wife had died during child birth with the twins. They kept their affair a secret for several months until and they finally got married the day of Sofia's eighth

birthday.

Becoming a princess and moving to the castle was an unexplainable culture shock and Sofia giggled remembering the look an Amber's face when she found out Sofia would

be moving in with them, the sour expression on her face and how she stomped off to her bed chamber.

James had just smiled, took her hands, and said 'welcome home'

Sofia knew she was going to have issues fitting in with the other royals but every time she felt unwanted she just remembered those two words. Welcome Home. She never

told him but he helped her more than she could ever say.

The wind began picking up and Sofia wrapped her thin arms around herself wishing she had grabbed her fur wrap for extra protection from the cold but she wasn't going to

risk the icy steps again for comfort. She sighed and happily packed more snow into the base of her snowman. Luckily the snow was falling faster and the flakes were now the

size of cotton balls. She looked around and smiled at how much the castle and its grounds looked like a snow globe and wished things could stay the way they were forever.

Getting up every morning to Violet's thick village accent telling her 'go' mornin' princess Sofia' and dressing in her princess dresses to go have breakfast with the four people

dearest to her in all the world, Amber included.

But Sofia knew things weren't going to stay the same for long. Her parents had already started talking about her and Amber getting married after graduation and James was

going to inherit the Enchancian throne. Sofia imagined what it would be like if she would marry James and rule Enchancia by his side. She would like that but she was sure he

would protest. Not that she would ever say her dream out loud, that was one secret he would never know.

After the base of the snowman was complete she started piling on more for the midsection. Sofia realized that she hadn't brought anything to put on him to make him a

snowman. He would just be three piles of snow. No identity. Nothing to make him stand out from the drifts around him and that made her sad but nevertheless she continued

to form him.

The cold was starting to get to Sofia, she thought she must have been outside for at least forty-five minutes. Baileywick would no doubt be calling for her shortly but she

wanted to finish him. He deserved to be finished

'Sofia!' she heard a familiar voice call out

She looked around and saw James coming towards her holding a scarf, hat, a basket, and her fur wrap. His short blonde hair was slightly spiked and glimmered in the

afternoon sun giving contrast to his bright emerald green eyes

'James, thank you!' Sofia gushed gladly taking her wrap from him

'No, problem. 'I've been watching you out here for a while from the dining hall and thought he might need these' James smiled putting the accessories on the ground and

helping her pack snow to make the snowman's head

''You've been watching me?' she asked trying not to blush and hiding her face behind the ball of snow in her hands

'Yeah, you're cute when you're determined' he laughed passively but she was sure there was a pitch in his voice

Sofia smiled. She did love him and as they pulled out pieces of coal for his mouth and eyes, a carrot for his nose, two sticks for his arms, and put the accessories on the now

finished snowman she sighed. She did love him. And maybe someday she would tell him but for now she was just glad to get to spend special time with him that no one else

got. For now that would have to do.

They made their way inside throwing snow at each other and he carried her up the slick steps gracefully. She knew she was special to him and again, maybe someday they

would be together for real and she would stay with him forever but for now she knew they had the winter.


End file.
